When you deliver your baby, you will lose about 12 pounds, including the baby, placenta and fluids. In the first week after giving birth, you will lose another 4 to 6 pounds of extra blood and fluids. In the first two months and longer, you can also lose weight without calorie reduction by breast-feeding. Most doctors recommend waiting until at least six weeks after delivery before reducing calories or beginning an exercise program but will approve a lower-fat, healthier diet, which can lower your weight by reducing body fat.

Choose Nonfat/Low-Fat Proteins

Women need about 46 grams of protein each day; breast-feeding women need about 60 grams. This equals about three servings a day, or about four if you are breast-feeding. To reduce body fat without sacrificing muscle, energy and nutrition, choose nonfat and very low-fat proteins. Some nonfat protein sources are beans and nonfat dairy products including milk, yogurt and cottage cheese. Low-fat proteins include eggs, tofu, fish, chicken and lean meats. Use cooking spray or boiling, steaming or baking to avoid adding extra fat.

Complex Carbohydrates Provide Energy

To help reduce fat, substitute whole-grain foods for processed foods like white bread, baked goods and pasta. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that provide your body sustained energy. Processed grains are stripped of nutrients and are simple carbohydrates, which are stored as fat if not burned for energy right away. Fruits and vegetables contain both simple and complex carbohydrates, as well as nutrients necessary for good health. Healthy adults should eat three to five servings of whole grains and about nine servings of vegetables and fruits each day.

Good Fats/Bad Fats and Other Empty Calories to Leave Behind

You need about two servings of unsaturated “good fats” each day to stay healthy. One serving is a tablespoon of olive oil, canola oil or peanut butter, or a small handful of nuts or seeds. All saturated "bad fats" can be safely cut from your diet for better health and fat loss. Some foods that contain saturated fat are butter and margarine, whole-fat dairy products, baked goods, red meat and fried foods. Other empty calories that can be safely eliminated are refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and alcohol.

Safe Weight Loss Each Week

Although it’s possible to lose all the weight you gained during pregnancy in the first two months after giving birth, losing too much weight too fast can be harmful to you and to your baby if you’re breast-feeding. Most women will lose about half of their pregnancy weight by six weeks after delivery. After that, it’s safe to lose up to 1.5 pounds each week. If you’re losing more weight than that, add some healthy, low-fat foods to your diet, and be sure to let your doctor know if you have excessive weight loss.

About the Author

A lifetime weightlifting and abs workout enthusiast living in eastern Washington, Marsha Wyatt is a technical editor and writer specializing in health and fitness topics including weight training and fitness and diet programs for longevity.

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